Brian lit a cigarette and pulled the smoke into his lungs. The sun was shining; people were going about their day; the world seemed to be totally unaware of the young man fighting for his life upstairs in an antiseptic hospital room. Michael was sitting beside him, saying nothing. Sometimes it was best to let Brian be alone with his thoughts; sometimes it was best to wait for him to talk.

"You should go home," Brian said. "Get some rest."

"I'm fine."

"Suit yourself." Brian took a final drag from his cigarette and flicked it to the ground. "I'm going back in."

Jennifer was still listening to the doctor explain about Justin's condition. It seemed to her that she was being handled; that he was preparing her for what was to come. It made her incredibly angry and unbearably distressed at the same time.

"I would like to limit the number of people in Justin's room for now," the doctor was saying. "You and maybe one or two others - his father?"

Jennifer shook her head. "I'm afraid he's unavailable. Debbie? Would you sit with Justin?"

"Of course I would ,sweetie; I think of him as one of my boys. I'd do anything for my Sunshine."

"And Brian."

The doctor made a note of those names. "I'd like to recommend you get some rest Mrs. Taylor. You've obviously been up all night. It won't do your son any good for you to fall apart.

"I'm fine, really," Jennifer protested.

"If you'd like, we have beds available here for parents to rest. You'll be close by and the nurse can come wake you if there is any change. Would you like me to have one of the nurses show you where they are?"

"Maybe, just for a little while. Debbie, would you sit with Justin for a bit?" 

"Of course, sweetie."

Debbie watched as a nurse lead Jennifer down the hall, then she turned and went into Justin's room.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at Justin's swollen face. "Oh Sunshine, what have they done to you?" She sat down in the chair and gathered Justin's limp hand in hers. "You just hold on, kiddo. We are all here for you and you are going to be just fine, you hear me?"

Brian walked back into the hospital with Michael following along behind.

"Brian, when's the last time you ate?" he asked.

Brian shrugged.

"Come to the cafeteria with me. I want to get a sandwich or something."

"You go on, I'm going upstairs."

"Please?"

Brian rolled his eyes. He knew that Michael was only doing this to try to get him to eat something and while he had no appetite at all, the fact that Michael was so concerned touched him. "Okay, but you have to hurry."

Michael did manage to get Brian to eat some toast. It wasn't much but at least it was something besides cigarettes and coffee.

"Nothing wrong with cigarettes and coffee," Brian protested.

"Whatever," Michael replied.

They made their way back up to Justin's floor. They stood outside his room and watched through the window at Debbie sitting and holding Justin's hand. After a few minutes, she noticed them and came out of the room.

"Oh Brian, I'm glad you're here. I was afraid I'd have to ask them to wake Jen. I need to get to my shift at the diner, but I didn't want to leave Sunshine. The doctor asked Jennifer to keep his visitors down to three - her, you, and me."

"Where's she now?"

"Sleeping . The nurse took her somewhere she could rest. Will you stay with him? I need to go."

"Yeah, I'm here, go on," Brian said.

Debbie pulled him into a hug. "You hang tough, you hear me?"

"Come on, Mom, I'll walk you out," Michael took her arm and led her away as Brian walked into Justin's room to take over the watch.

"How are you holding up, sweetie?" Debbie asked when they were in the elevator.

"I'm fine, Mom. I'm worried about Brian, though."

"Of course you are, Honey. But I think Justin is the one you should be worrying about."

The elevator door opened and they exited into the busy lobby of the hospital. "I am, Ma, but I can't do much for Justin. I'm trying to help Brian, but I'm not sure how."

"You're a good man, Michael."

"Am I? Cause I feel so helpless right now. I want to be there for Brian, but I feel so useless. What can I do?"

By now they were standing by Deb's car. "All you can do is be there to listen if he needs to talk, and try to get him to take care of himself; eat - sleep, that sort of thing. Other than that, just be there for him."

"That doesn't sound like much."

"It isn't, but then again friendship is a pretty powerful gift to offer."

Michael leaned over and kissed Debbie on the check. "Thanks Ma." He turned and walked back into the hospital.

When he made it back up to Justin's floor, he looked in the window at Brian sitting in the chair. He couldn't see his face, but by the way his head was cocked to one side, Michael was pretty sure Brian had drifted off to sleep.

"Hey."

Michael was startled and turned toward the voice. "Hey Daphne."

"Any word?"

"No, I don't think so. I think they're still just waiting."

"Where's Jennifer?"

"Lying down somewhere I think."

Daphne sighed. "This sucks. Why can't they do something?"

"I don't know, I guess they're doing all they can."

"Yeah."

Brian walks into the banquet room. There are paper streamers of blue and red hanging from the ceiling; balloons everywhere. He looks around for a familiar face and finally he sees him. Justin and Daphne dancing together at the edge of the dance floor.

He smiles and makes his way over. Justin turns and sees him. His whole face lights up. He smiles his signature smile and Brian feels the warmth all the way to his soul.

"Can I borrow your date?" he asks of Daph.

He takes Justin's hand and leads him out further onto the floor just as a corny old song begins. They have the dance floor to themselves, whether it's because of two men dancing or because of this unbelievably sappy song, Brian isn't sure, but he decides to make good use of the area.

He moves Justin around the floor, literally sweeping him off his feet. Justin looks at him with awe in his eyes.

Beep, beep, beep, beep. The noise crowds out the music.

Beep, beep, beep, beep. Brian turns to the DJ to see what's causing the noise.

Beep, beep, beep, beep. The blood drains from his face as he realizes who's behind the turntables.

Beep, beep, beep, beep. Chris Hobbs stares at him, but pulls a bat from behind the counter.

Brian bolted from his chair; the dance, the music, the banquet room were gone. The insistent beeping was not. There were three nurses in the room - one of them was pulling him to his feet and pushing him out the door as the other two were doing something with Justin. Brian's head still thick with sleep couldn't wrap his mind around what was happening. Suddenly he was out in the hallway looking in the window at Justin.

"Brian?" Michael was at his side. "Brian, what's going on?"

"I… I don't know." He looked around. "Where's Jen? Where's his mom?"

A nurse came out of Justin's room, stopping to explain to them what was happening.

"What's going on?" Brian asked her.

"His oxygen level dropped off; he's okay now. The doctor is on his way to check, but he probably just needs to adjust the percentage in his breathing tube."

"What would have caused his oxygen to drop though?" Daphne asked.

"Could be a number of things," the nurse explained. "Sometimes it happens when people are sleeping too deeply, or it could be his lungs are starting to fill with a little fluid. It's really not unexpected with an injury like this. The doctor will be here shortly and then I'm sure he'll come speak with you."

"Where's Jennifer?" Brian asked again.

"I'm going to get her now," the nurse answered.

Brian nodded and walked over to the other side of the hallway; he leaned against the wall as the doctor breezed through into Justin's room. Daphne stood at the window looking in at Justin's form lying on the bed.

"I can't do this," Brian said.

Michael was at Brian's side. "Yes, you can."

"No, Mikey. I can't. I can't do this."

"Shh… Brian. Don't think like that."

The doctor came out of Justin's room as Jennifer came walking up the hallway. "Mrs. Taylor," he said.

"Doctor, what is it?" Jennifer asked, her eyes filled with fear.

"He's fine, just a little scare with his oxygen levels. I've made an adjustment and he's fine. He is developing a little fluid in his lungs that we'll need to keep an eye on, but it's nothing that wasn't expected."

Jennifer stood listening to him, trying to make out what he was saying. "What does that mean?"

"It means he's still stable, and we're monitoring him closely."

Brian stood against the wall, listening to the doctor and watching Jennifer. She looked so frightened, so frail, as if she might crumble at any minute. 

"You okay?" Michael leaned in and asked him.

"Yeah," he answered. He had to be. Justin needed him. Jennifer needed him. Justin needed him to be there, to be strong for Jennifer.

He had no choice. Justin needed him.